Key Facts:
Sphere has brought HubT production fully in-house, including electrical integration and compliance
Vertically integrated manufacturing enables faster, more consistent deployment of autonomous drone infrastructure
HubT can move from delivery to operational data capture in days, supported by BVLOS approvals
Now available in Trailer and Skid configurations to suit a wider range of site conditions
Operations are tracked end-to-end through Sphere's Curo platform, providing full visibility over performance and data delivery
Sydney, Australia – 30 March 2026:
Sphere has announced a series of enhancements to HubT, its plug-and-play remote data capture solution designed to support fixed-site autonomous drone operations.
The updates focus on improving how quickly and reliably HubT can be deployed in real-world environments, while maintaining the platform's core capability as a ready-to-install sensor stack for DJI Dock 3 and BVLOS-ready infrastructure.
A key update is the introduction of two deployment configurations, Trailer and Skid, giving customers flexibility based on site conditions. The Trailer configuration is suited to flat but uneven terrain, while the Skid configuration is designed for concrete footings or flat, even ground.
This deployment flexibility eliminates the civil works and site preparation that rigid single-configuration systems typically require, allowing customers to activate HubT across a wider range of site conditions without additional infrastructure investment.
Sphere has brought the full HubT production cycle in-house: from enclosure fabrication through to electrical design, wiring, integration and compliance testing, with qualified electricians employed directly within the production team.
This vertically integrated approach eliminates the delays and quality variability that come with outsourcing hardware assembly to third-party contractors, and gives Sphere direct control over production scheduling, quality assurance and the ability to scale output in line with customer demand.
While previous deployments met compliance requirements in many cases, the updated system has been engineered to enhance alignment with the latest Australian standards (AS/NZS 5368:2025, AS/NZS 3001.1:2022, AS/NZS 3001.2:2022) and validated through independent engineering review and audit.
HubT's electrical system has been engineered to these standards from the ground up, not retrofitted after deployment. This means site electrical acceptance is a validation step, not a remediation project, enabling faster and more consistent deployment approvals across mining, utilities and infrastructure environments.
Because Sphere's production team includes in-house electricians working alongside hardware and systems engineers, each HubT unit moves through a continuous build–test–certify cycle under one roof. There is no handoff between design, fabrication and electrical fitment, reducing build time, eliminating rework, and ensuring every unit leaves the facility deployment-ready with full electrical compliance documentation.
This rapid production cycle means customers aren't waiting on third-party contractor availability or external certification timelines to receive their hardware.
These enhancements, combined with expedited regulatory approval under Sphere's Broad Area BVLOS self-assessment trial, mean HubT can move from delivery to operational data capture in days, not the weeks or months typically associated with autonomous drone deployments that require extensive site-specific electrical rework and individual unit certification.
Paris Cockinos, CEO of Sphere, said the updates reflect a deliberate shift towards full production control and faster deployment outcomes.
"We made a deliberate decision to employ electricians in-house and manufacture HubT ourselves, rather than outsource assembly to contractors. That gives us something most providers in this space can't offer: a rapid, repeatable production cycle where we control every step from design through to a compliance-certified, site-ready unit. When a customer needs hardware, we build it, we don't join a contractor's queue."
HubT is suited to organisations across mining, utilities, infrastructure and government that require consistent, repeatable aerial data capture from fixed locations and want a straightforward path to deploying BVLOS-enabled drone operations.
Every HubT mission is tracked end-to-end through Sphere's Curo platform, from flight booking through to processed data delivery, giving customers full visibility over airtime, mission efficiency and time-to-data metrics.
This level of operational transparency is increasingly expected by Tier-1 customers conducting vendor due diligence on autonomous drone providers.
About us:
Sphere is a leading Australian full-stack technology and services provider with offices across Australia. Sphere empowers businesses, enterprises and governments to effectively respond to challenges, risks and opportunities with innovative drone solutions.
Since 2014, Sphere has supported more than 13,000 businesses, enterprises and government departments with hardware, software, services, operational and compliance support. Customers include Rio Tinto, Fortescue, BHP, Ausgrid, Sydney Water, Water Corporation, South32, Fyfe, Surf Life Saving NSW, the University of Sydney, James Cook University, and more.
